The ancient tree stood tall, its bark cracked like weathered skin, its enormous roots twisting like dragons. The tree hollow lay hidden in a recess covered by vines, and the mist around it was thinner than elsewhere, as if something had deliberately cleared this space.
Faint streaks of light drifted through the air—cold, sharp, like knife edges slicing through the fog.
Maverick's chest tightened. He gently set the girl behind the tree, whispering,"Don't make a sound." She nodded furiously, hugging herself as if clinging to the last shred of safety.
Holding his breath, he crept along another tree, fingers brushing the vines. Carefully, he peeled back a gap, his vision slicing through the scene like a blade cutting open a canvas.
Atop a branch, a silver mechanical serpent lay coiled, utterly still. Its surface was smooth as glass, its cold metallic glow flowing like living steel. The single eye glowed deep red, fixed firmly on the hollow—like a sentry that had never slept.
Below it, a military backpack dangled from the tree, its straps tangled in the branches. A glimpse of ration bars and a water bottle peeked from its folds, looking almost like bait.
Maverick's instincts flared.
This was a trap.
The mechanical snake wasn't guarding the entrance—it was hunting. Its eye wasn't scanning the surroundings but locked onto a precise point—the backpack. That spot was its firing line.
His gaze shifted, following the direction of the snake's sight.
Deep inside the hollow, a frail figure crouched. His tiny body curled up like a half-frozen kitten. He wasn't looking at the snake, nor the mist—just at the food.
A small hand reached out in the darkness, pushing aside a metal plate. The faint scrape against the ground echoed—"creak—" a whisper of sound.
The snake didn't move. But its eye began rotating, slow and ominous—like the final tick of a clock before the strike.
Maverick's breath stalled. He recognized that model.
Scout-class Hunter Snake, seen before.
Not highly destructive, but once it locked onto a target, its attack frequency and speed were relentless—perfect for taking down a fleeing child.
Chan's voice echoed in his mind:"Are you insane?! These'kids' are skinners! You saw their teeth!"
Doubt flickered in his heart.
Then, the boy lifted his head.
A grimy face. Cracked lips. But in his eyes—a fragile glimmer. Not just light. Hope. The desperate need to survive.
Maverick froze.
This wasn't just any child.
This was him.
The boy curled on street corners. The endless pleading glances. The silent suffering beneath the trampling feet, never daring to cry.
His heartbeat thundered.
No more waiting.
"No—!"
Maverick launched himself from cover, his body a streak of motion.
A dry, jagged branch gripped in his hand. He pushed off the ground, springing into the air, arching toward the snake's head.
The branch slammed into the glowing red eye.
Crack!
Metal shards splintered, sparks bursting in all directions. For one impossible instant, time seemed to freeze—all sound compressed into a single high-frequency explosion.
The mechanical serpent twitched violently.
Then—it woke up.
Its metal coils shuddered, unleashing a piercing electronic shriek, like a demon enraged.
It sprang into action, tail snapping forward with a hiss. A slender steel needle shot out, gleaming like ice—aimed straight at Maverick's chest!
He jerked backward.
The needle grazed his coat, slicing a deep gash through the fabric—"hiss—" cold air prickling his skin.
No time to breathe.
The snake's body recoiled like a spring—striking again!
Its tail whipped through the air, black as iron, whistling straight toward his waist.
Maverick rolled, barely dodging the blow. His elbow slammed into a rock, palm scraping against jagged stone. Blood welled up, sharp and real, but he gritted his teeth—kept moving.
The snake screeched. Its red eye locked onto him, tail snapping once more!
He slapped his hand against the ground, body skimming low, sliding two meters away—just missing the strike.
"Run!!" he shouted.
The boy stood frozen, eyes locked on the dangling backpack. His stare was empty—like nothing else existed but those ration bars and that bottle of water.
"Damn it!" Maverick cursed, catching the gleam of the snake's tail rising again—cold light slicing through the fog.
No time.
He lunged.
Both hands grabbed the serpent's head, trying to force it down.
But the metal creature was slick as scales, impossible to grip, its strength overwhelming. The moment he touched it, the entire body writhed!
Its tail whipped sideways, splitting the air.
He dropped low, rolling sharply. The impact sent him sprawling, crashing into the earth.
Dust flew. His throat filled with copper.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up, arms trembling—he couldn't stop.
The snake's head lowered, its steel needle clicking out, preparing a rapid barrage—firing like raindrops—"bang! bang! bang!" Leaves, dirt, and shards of rock exploded.
Maverick's breath came ragged, eyes bloodshot.
Snatching up a stone, he hurled it at the snake's head.
Clang!
A brutal impact—the rock bounced off, shattering into fragments. His fingers numbed from the shock, palm bleeding.
The serpent screeched in fury, lunging forward. The needle shot again—straight at his heart!
He roared and dove, arms locking around the snake's head, forcing it downward. The metal thrashed, coils twisting wildly, scattering debris.
Teeth clenched, blood dripping from his lips, shoulder scraped raw, burning.
He didn't know how long he could hold out.
"Go!" he shouted."Get your brother out of here!"
He expected the girl to grab her brother and flee.
Instead, her tiny frame shot forward—not toward the boy—but toward the hanging backpack!
She limped, eyes locked on the food, moving like a starved predator.
"You idiot! No—!" Maverick bellowed.
But she couldn't hear him.
Maybe she wasn't even listening.
And then—the sound behind him.
A familiar metallic hiss.
Chills crawled over his spine.
The air froze.
A shadow lifted high overhead.
The snake's tail.
A fresh steel needle aimed at the back of his skull.
The red glow shimmered—death whispering against his neck.